Why go Mountaineering?

Written by: anagonzales

Mountaineering is a combination of sport and recreational activity that overcomes the challenges and dangers of slopes and avalanches to get a breathtaking view from top. The end makes the arduous Climbing worth it. There are several reasons why people engage in Climbing. Some of these are the following:

• Mountaineering challenges an individual’s ability to scale the different slopes of the mountain they chose to Climb. People love adventure. This sport will give the enthusiast a sense of fulfillment and a feeling of conquering the world by being on the mountain’s summit. The beautiful view is their reward.


• Mountaineering is a physical activity that is great for one’s health. This is a perfect form of exercise where one enjoys the challenge, and stays fit at the same time. The demands of the sport will also improve your body’s strength and endurance.


• Mountaineering offers great nature exploration. Enthusiasts find their love for the outdoors satisfied through mountain Climbing, bringing them close to greeneries and the wild life. Furthermore, the journey to the top and the sight from the peak of the mountain displays nature’s beauty at its finest.


• Mountaineering develops several skills and values such as readiness to face a problem, alertness, patience, self reliance, and team work. Mountain Climbing can be seen as a reflection of real life where you have to work hard to reach the top—which is your goal. Discipline is stressed as a very important virtue in every Mountaineer.


• Mountaineering is also a great activity to establish camaraderie among your fellow Climbers. Climbing is a fun-filled adventure that is enjoyable to share with the companionship of other enthusiasts. Team work and sensitivity to others’ needs form a strong bond within your team.


• Mountaineering is a great form of relaxation. Although the activity may be strenuous, the physical demands take you away from your everyday routine and worries. The beautiful environment removes away the stress you’ve accumulated from your work and from living a fast paced life. Mountaineering is also a great escape to the hustle and bustle of city life.

The joys of mountaineering are results of perseverance and dedication. The exhausting process of Climbing to the top of the mountain rewards every mountaineer with a feeling of achievement. Want to be on top of the world? You may start your adventure by learning about the different Rock Climbing Techniques.

Mountaineering History

The History of Mountaineering goes way back to the time when no one had the technology and the skills to write about them yet. Because of that, we are left to surmise what the early Mountaineers did, the technology that they used, what motivated them to climb, or if they even thought of doing it. Therefore, this section will only focus on the recorded History of Mountaineering . We hope that they would give you some idea of how intrepid explorers dared to climb mountains, “because it is there,” if we were to borrow George Mallory's words when he was asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest.

What is now one of the most revered sports was inspired by non-sporting purposes of early humans such as the building of altars for the Mountain spirits, erecting of watch towers for country sites, and making meteorological or geological observations.

Today, Mountaineering is a popular sport, hobby, even profession of walking, Hiking and mountain climbing on either rock (rock-craft) or snow (snow craft). It is frequently undertaken for the thrill of reaching the summit.

The achievements made in the sport are no mean feat. They require a lot of physical, mental and even logistical preparations if one aims for a successful climb. Aside from popularizing the sport, mountain expeditions also contributed to a lot of scientific studies. Below are some of the highlights in the Mountaineering world:

• 1874 - Grove, Gardiner, Walker, Sottajev and Knubel reached the summit of the highest mountain in Europe: Elbrus.
• 1913 - Karstens, Harper, Tatum and Stuck reached the summit of the highest mountain in North America: Mount McKinley also known as Mount Denali.
• 1953 - Norgay and Hillary reached the summit of the highest mountain in the world: Mount Everest in Nepal.
• 1985 - Dick Bass reached Mount Everest and became the first person to reach all of the Seven Summits. Please read Seven Summits for more information.

But not everyone was born for the rough terrain. Mountaineering, a practice handed down by the hunters and workmen of the ancient communities, requires high technical and gymnastic abilities. It is therefore important to be well-trained and climb mountains that are within your level of experience. The most expensive equipment can never compensate to your experience so make sure to build your experience up first before anything else.

Hiking, a more gentle component of Mountaineering, is walking on unspoiled mountain trails with the intention of exploring and enjoying nature. What used to be man’s mere familiarity with mountain treks in the spirit of the hunt is now a leisurely, even therapeutic activity.

The term “Hiking” is used by all English-speaking countries with variations in different regions. Australians, for instance, use the term “bushwalking” while the English simply call it “walking.” Overnight Hiking is specified as “backpacking” by the English while New Zealanders call it “tramping.”


Today, Mountaineering is already a multi-billion dollar industry which has spawned numerous websites, trails, and equipment are marketed to meet the lures of the sport. Aside from the monetary component, this activity is already popular and continues to become more popular among the younger generation who do it to appreciate and commune with nature more. They are the ones who will continue writing the History of Mountaineering until every mountain in the world has been climbed.

What is Mountaineering?

Written by: anagonzales

Mountaineering, otherwise known as Alpinism in Europe, is the sport, profession, or recreation of Climbing or going up mountains. It is a more challenging form of hiking; where one have to trek on higher altitudes. Although the toughest, this outdoor activity is also the most fulfilling.

There are many reasons why enthusiasts engage in mountain Climbing. This sport challenges an individual’s capabilities and skills; plus it is also a great way to be one with nature. Mountaineers also find Climbing as a form of relaxation and exercise. But the most common purpose of people who go on Mountaineering even when the activity can be strenuous and dangerous is the reward of having a view of the rare and wonderful sight they will savor when they reach the summit.

There are three basic forms of Climbing, which depends on the track condition. First of these is Rock Climbing, or rock-craft, which is very popular among amateur Climbers. This form of Mountain Climbing involves rocky slopes and avalanches. The second form of Mountaineering is the Snow and Ice Climbing, or the snow-craft, which is more for expert Climbers. This is a much dangerous Climb because it involves routes with glaciers. Special gear and an understanding of snow and ice conditions are very important. Lastly, mixed Climbing combines the rocky and icy routes of the first two Mountaineering forms, making it the most difficult. The hazardous track one will have to face in this Climb requires the mountaineer to have enough training and experience.

Although injuries and accidents are common in Mountaineering, an enjoyable Climb is still possible. Problems could be avoided through preparations, proper training, and good physical condition. It is also best to Climb mountains in groups, as one could lend a hand to the team when something unexpected happens. Moreover, experience is still the best teacher even in mountain Climbing. Other than that, joining Climbing groups and reading books and articles on Mountaineering are also very helpful to begin your adventure.


This site will give you information on Climbing techniques, tying knots, camping and outdoor living, appropriate Mountaineering gear and apparel, Climbing calls, and Mountaineering navigation skills. After equipping yourself with these important Climbing knowledge, you are now ready to go on top of the world!

GEORGE MALLORY

Mistery Pendaki Pertama Mt. Everest

Awal tahun 2004 ini kembali muncul perdebatan mengenai First Climber on Everest. Apakah betul George Leigh Mallory (38) dan Andrew “Sandy” Irvine (22) telah mencapai puncak Everest pada Expedisi tahun 1924 itu.? Dua puluh delapan tahun lebih awal dari pendakian Sir Edmund Hillary bersama Tenzing Norgay yang saat ini masih tercatat sebagai pendaki Everest pertama (1953). Saya sendiri selama 3 tahun ini selalu menceri berita paling akhir mengenai keputusan final yang mungkin bisa merubah catatan sejarah pendakian manusia di puncak tertinggi dunia itu.

George Leigh Mallory memimpin team ketiga dari Inggris Raya bersama partnernya Irvine dan photographer Noel Odell pada 6 Juni 1924 berlabel nama The British Expedition 1924. Dengan membawa botol oxygen Asparratus cadangan mereka mendaki di musim moonson yang terkenal sangat berbahaya. Setelah dua hari pendakian, Odell yang memang tinggal di base tertinggi sempat melihat mereka mendaki pada sisi utara Everest, tapi pandangannya lalu terhalang awan dan cuaca yang selalu berubah-ubah. Itulah saat terakhir mereka terlihat hingga akhirnya hilang di telan salju abadi Everest.

75 tahun kemudian tepatnya ditahun 1999, Thom Pollard dari Everests Speakers Bureau mencoba memaparkan bukti-bukti kuat yang didapat dari Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition (MIRE 1999) dan meneliti posisi terakhir saat duo Pendaki Inggris tersebut hilang. Sejumlah geologist, ahli sejarah, pendaki serta sherpa terbaik turut tergabung dalam misi ini.

Jenazah Mallory ditemukan pada ketinggian diatas 27.000 kaki, membeku di bebatuan beberapa ratus meter sebelum puncak dari jalur utara. Di sekitarnya terdapat peralatan lain seperti Vest Pocket Camera (Kodak), Altimeter, Jam tangan, Pisau, Tali panjat, Botol oxygen dan Kacamata salju. Semua benda itu dikumpulkan lalu dianalisa secara teliti, sayangnya Team MIRE ini tidak menemukan rol film yang telah digunakan karena diduga Mallory terjatuh saat pendakian turun hingga mengalami patah tungkai kaki dan luka dikepala. Bukti kuat lainnya adalah kapak es milik Irvine yang ditemukan tahun 1933 serta beberapa kertas memo untuk Capt. Noel Odell, rekan satu teamnya yang terakhir melihat Mallory dan masih hidup sekarang. Melihat buku catatan pribadi yang masih utuh disaku Mallory, para peneliti semakin yakin bahwa Mallory telah menaruh foto istrinya Ruth setelah mencapai puncak seperti yang dituturkan sebelumnya kepada Odell, namun posisi ditemukannya Mallory yang tetap dirahasiakan.

Ekspedisi besar ini, akhirnya menjawab misteri pendaki pertama Everest serta pengakuan langsung bagi pendaki sekaliber Mallory. Eric Simonson Team Leader MIRE 1999 mengatakan “Mallory can from this day forward rest in peace” disertai senyum mengembang tanda keberhasilan Teamnya..

Seperti menjadi jawaban dari legenda kata2 Mallory “Because it’s ther

REINHOLD MESSNER

Climber, writer, photographer and European parliamentarian, Reinhold Messner was born in Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy, on 17th September 1944. He grew up in the Villnöss Valley in the Dolomites and later studied at the University of Padua.

He has been one of the world’s most outstanding mountaineers for twenty years. In the course of about one hundred trips in the mountains he has chalked up many first ascents and was the first to climb all the world’s 8000-metre peaks. He lectures throughout the world, makes documentary films, contributes to well-known specialist magazines and supports the preservation of the last wildernesses.

Contrary to modern adventure performers, Reinhold Messner never went after records; instead, he is interested in being exposed to nature in landscapes hardly touched by man, and in travelling with a minimum of equipment. He followed Mummery's "by fair means" on Nanga Parbat, Nansen's "call of the north" to the ice packs of the Arctic and crossed the Antarctic via the South Pole after an idea by Shackleton. Opposing his travelling on foot to the possibilities the age of communication has to offer, he does without any expansion bolts, oxygen masks and satellite phones - an anachronism, true, but one that preserves an inexhaustible source of experience in the wilderness.

He has written more than 40 books, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Between his journeys he lives in Juval Castle in South Tyrol where he runs a museum containing a considerable collection of Tibetan art, and a hill farm using organic methods. In addition, he continues to write books and develop museum projects.

On Everest Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler were the first to summit without the use of bottled oxygen. Reinhold Messner was the first, and many will argue the only, to ever solo Everest on Aug 20, 1980 via the North Col/North Face.